Bag Item Number: 3486/68 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Bag for sowing seeds with a broad, patterned panel in the centre. A variety of birds are repeated on both faces, flanked by bands of natural black and white.
Different types of Andean bags (bolsas, generic term, Spanish) have different names and characteristics. Striped bags woven in natural colours and used for sowing seeds are called wayakas (Quechua) or talegas (Aymara). Striped sacks woven in natural colours called costales (Spanish) are differently sized for particular crops, and seem to have been part of an archaic system of measures.
Purchased by donor in Sucre in 1983 in the shop of Elizabeth Rojas.
Centre panel is woven in a complementary warp weave with 2-span floats in diagonal alignment. Wool is hand spun.